


A moment of weakness (after the water)

by ClaraCivry (Kat_Of_Dresden)



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: Gen, Mid Canon, Scene tag, mild hurt comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-16 13:07:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4626378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Of_Dresden/pseuds/ClaraCivry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A scene expansion that covers the bit from when Napoleon rescues Illya from drowning to when they are seeing on the bike. Idiot spies getting attached to each other through near death experiences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A moment of weakness (after the water)

He was trying to stifle the coughs, but his lungs were screaming at him. Illya had been trained for this kind of thing, had been trained to be in perfect shape even after torture, but the world was blurring out all around him, and he could hardly follow Solo's dark figure through the narrow Italian streets. He was functioning on pure adrenaline now, his eyes drooping, all of himself ready to give himself again to the darkness. This was being a harrowing night.

Solo too, was walking more on instincts than anything else. Don't think. Don't think about the fear, about Kuriakyn's lifeless figure in the water, about those agonising seconds when he'd had to support his weight because he was all but dead, drowned, and he'd had to revive him, because that man could not be dead, he had to breathe, breathe, come on... And he had made it, and as scary as the thought of being found out or shot at from Vinciguerra's people was, the lack of response from the other man had been far more frightening. 

Which was a bit unusual for Napoleon, a bit uncalled for, if you asked him. Had he gotten attached to that russian angry bear after such a short time working with him? When they'd been ready to kill each other only days before? He had worked alonefor a long time, using people merely as pawns, means to an end. Maybe his dry sarcasm (loving your work, cowboy) have gotten to him, maybe that determination, maybe he'd seen something of himself in that impossibly different man. The thing was, he hadn't been able to leave him.

Napoleon could have done it, left him there. They had Gaby and she was the important element to continue the mission, if they lost Kuryakin they could simply say that Gaby's fiance had been called back to Moscow on an assignment and keep investigating and maybe that would provide an excuse for Gaby to get closer to Alessandro. Peril would probably be honored in his home country if he perished, "died on the line of duty", "russian hero" or something of the sort. And yet, Napoleon Solo, loner extraordinnaire, had felt the need to crash his perfectly comfortable truck in the water and fish out the man who'd nearly strangled him in Berlin not so long ago. 

He'd gone there, despite everything, sunk the vehicle and looked for the Russian on the dark unending waters, to get him out of there and worst of all, he'd been slightly worried. He'd took Illya's wieght, heavy as he was and had given him CPR as best as he could while in the water. Which could had turned out real bad, because they would have been spotted again after being supposedly dead and now they didn't have that wonderful truck to leave. It had been a bold move, and Napoleon didn't usually do any of those for people he hardly knew. Be that as it may, they had made it out and were now soaking wet, with a bunch of guards on their heels and no means of transportation. 

At least, Kuryakin was fast on his feet. He could count on that.

Although Illya wasn't on his best moment right now, finding it hard to breathe without adding the strain of running. And yes, he was fast, but Illya was araid that he wouldn't last for very long. As resistent as he was, being almost drowned and then having to run for his life were both very physically demanding situations on their own, and having put them together was, perhaps, even too much for a strong russian like himself. The world kept spinning around him, no matter how many times he ordered it to stop, and ordered himself toget it together. It just wasn't working. He'd be okay while they were on the move, but if they stopped... 

Which they finally did, when Napoleon found a motorcycle he could start parked.

"Hop on." Napoleon said, in the urgent tone he'd been using, when suddenly he felt an enormous weight on top of him, which turned out to be a barely conscious russian. 

"Hey, you with me?"

Peril's eyes were unfocused, his skin deathly pale, and his knees buckled a bit and Napoleon had to take all of his weight. Kuryakin smelled of water and leather and metal, and Napoleon was amazed yet again at different they both were. They stayed like that for a bit, and Napoleon had to suppress the urge to pass his hand on that blond hair. Odd. Uncalled for.

"Sorry, I just..."

When the world stopped spinning so much and the shapes regained their edges, Illya dettached himself from the american, who was looking at him with...could it be? Concern?

"It's all right, I'm driving. You're allowed a moment of weakness after nearly dying." Solo said. "Just stay awake, all right? We wouldn't want to fall from the bike, there's been enough of people falling from speedy vehicles for the night."

Napoleon gave him something similar to a pat on the back and a sympathetic smile and they got on the bike, ready for action again. 

It was when the fresh air of the night cleared his head a bit that he realised what had happened - how Solo how saved him when the situation was desperate, possibly putting himself in danger. Illya wasn't used to people having his back. He was used to threats and demands and myriads of enemies, but this...It felt strange, but pleasant in a way he would never admit. From now on, Illya bowed to have Solo's back too, as much as the mission allowed it. (It had been also very nice and noted that despite all their previous banter, the american had made no jokes when he nearly fainted on top of him - Illya was grateful for it.) 

"Feeling better, Peril?" Napoleon asked as they approached their destination.

"Good as new, cowboy."

"That's good. Because we have work to do."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Feedback very welcome!


End file.
